Stocking



April 21, 1936. E. J. BERGER r 2,033,407

. STOCKING 7 Filed Sept. 8, 1934 s Sheets-Sheet 1 WITNESSES: INVENTOR:

{a Emil Jflerym; v' 9 BY J EYS.

April 21,1936.

sssssss G A r l 21, '1936.

E. J. BERGER 2,038,407

STOCKING Filed Sept. 8, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 WITNESSES:

' INVENTOR:

By I W/wd-WZ% W fi Patented Apr. 21, 1936 I UNITED STATES "PATENT orrlce2,038,407 s'rocnme Emil .r. Berger, Hatfield, Pa, assignor to nexaeleHosiery Mills, Lansdale, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania ApplicationSeptember a, 1934, Serial No. 143,191 12'Claims. (01. 66-182) aim of myinvention to provide, in addition to the usual toe and solereinforcements, special which are directly subjected to abrasion withthe shoes incident to movement of the feet in walkof the wearer; and tosecure this desideratum 3 with considerable saving of yarn over-thatrequired in the production of ordinary stockings.

Another object of my invention is to provide a simple method wherebystockings with special reinforcements of the kind referred tomay beproduced on full fashioned knitting machines as expeditiously asordinary stockings.

Further objects and attendant advantages will be manifest from thedetailed description following of the attached drawings, wherein Fig. Ishows a full fas oned ladys. stocking conveniently embodying myinvention.

Fig. II is a diagrammatic view showing the texture of the stockingfabric within the rectangleIIin Fig.1.

Fig. 111 is'a diagrammatic view showing suflicient of a full fashionedknitting machine suitable for carrying out in part, the improved methodby which my novel stocking is produced.

Fig. IV is a view corresponding to Fig. I showing a slightly modifiedform of my novel stocking; and I Fig. V is, a diagrammatic viewcorresponding to Fig. III illustrating how the foot portion of thestocking of Fig. IV may be produced on a 45 full fashioned knittingmachine.

my new stocking as being of the cradle foot type intendedto be worn withlow shoes or pumps. The leg and instep portions l and 2 of 'the stock-50 ing are of single thickness fabric and preferably knit from aplurality of relatively fine silk body yarns of the same count andcolor, the loop courses respectively formed from said yarns succeedingeach other in a predetermined repeating order after the manner ofringless hosiery. In

with avoidance of crosswiseringless stockings in particular, it is thechief reinforced wear-resistant areas at those regions opposite sides ofthe foot at-the level of the toes gradually widening flare at l8terminate at thickness reinforce areas of the fabric, the stock-' 4oIn'Fig. I of these illustrations, I have shown yarying the throw of theyarn car the present instance, three such body yarns are employed, thesebeing designated b, b and b" in Fig. II. For more ready distinguishmentfrom each other, the yarns b, b and b have been conventionally stippledand lined. 5-6--1--8-9 within each heel cheek of the stocking is ofdouble thickness and formed by interknitting a re'nforce yarn of heaviergauge with the body yarns b, b and 12?, one of these heavier yarns beingindicated at r in Fig. 11. The .10

toe portion of the stocking, beyond the line ill-ii is formed doublethroughout by interknitting one of the reinforce yarns r with vthe bodyyarns b, b andb. Extending along each side of the foot portion of thestocking intermediate the instep 15 and sole and connecting the heel andthe toe, is

a special double thickness longitudinal wear-resistant area l2 which isbouri'ded at the top by the downwardly curving lme 4--5-Ill marking thetop of the cradle foot, and at the bottom, by 2 a line 6-| i which, forthe greater portion of the .length of the areas I! is parallel to theline 4- 5-40, but, which, due to a. special narrowing operation laterdescribed, curves downwardly to ward the toe and intersects the bottomof the 5 stocking at the point H, with formation of a i3, and a line ofsuture marks l4 within the thickened area in' continuation, in thisinstance, of the lower suture line II of the diamond point of the toe.The

special'wear-resistant areas I! are produced byinterknitting heavy yarnsr with the body yarns b, b and I); while the sole portion of the footbelow the line 6-H and between the heel suture l8 and the point H, aswell as the portions G-1--8-9-l9 ,of the heel cheeks areof singlethickness fabric and knit with heavy yarn 1 alone.

It is to be noted that the upright heel sutures their tops within thedouble ing being thus effectively protected at the points It will be IIare depressed somewhat below the longitudinal medial of the foot, sothat when the stocking is heel tabs, may be producedon any standard typeof full fashioned legger" adapted for ringless knitting, and providedwith the usual means for riers which I t riers being suitably modifiedto form the double thickness areas 345 61-9 |9 within the heel cheeks.

The foot of the stocking may, on the other hand, he formed on a standardfull fashioned footer and 3| with fingers 32 and 33 for serving thereinforce yarns to the needles; a pointex attachment 34 which includesan intermittentlyactuated screw spindle 35 with right and left handthreads to progressively shift the nuts 36 and 31 which coact with stops38 and 39 on the carrier ing points 40 and 4| with formation of theaforementioned suture extension M at each side of the stocking. Thereinforce yarn carrier fingers 32 and 33 are thus caused to overlap thepath of the body yam carrier fingers 23, 24 and 25 more 26 and 21 arewiththickness diamond kni in the usual special stops drawn, whereupon adouble point toe of the stocking is manner.

From Fig. II it 4-5-l0 defining will be observed that the lines atopposite sides by selvage loops the upper edges of the special doublewear-resistant areas I2 carrier fingers 23, 24 and 25 which serve thebody yarns b, b and b rm of stocking illustrated in Fig. IV is e f0identical with the stocking of Fig. I except as 23a, 24a, and 25a and33a will be gradually increased correspond- |3a in the advanced 02. Bylimiting the extent the lower edges by said heavy yarn are tively narrowfor most of of heavier of heavier" gauge;

of overlap between the body and reinforce yarns during the knitting ofthe stocking foot as herein disclosed, I obviously effect a very savingof yarn over that required in the production of ordinary stockingswherein the knitting is double throughout the heel, with the furtheradvantage that the weight of my improved stockings is reduced to acorresponding extent over that of ordinary stockings. The last mentionedfeature is especially desirable in connection with the chifion ladiesstockings now in vogue.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: 1. A stocking havingreinforced wear-resistant areas along opposite sides of its footintermediate its instep and sole portions connecting the heel and toe ofthe stocking, said areas being relatively narrow through most of theirlengths but i for protection of the the large toe joint of wideradjacent the toe stocking at the region of the foot.

2. A ringless stocking having leg and instep portions wherein fabriccourses knit from a plurality of body yarns of the-same nominal gaugesucceed each other in a predetermined sequential order; h'eel, toe andsole portions knit of heavier gauge; and special wear-resistant areasalong opposite sides of its foot intermediate the instep and the sole,wherein loops of the aforedoubled with the loops of and whereof theupper edges are loops of the heavy yarn and skip selvage loops of saidareas being relatheir lengths but wider adjacent the toe'for protectionof the stocking at the region of the large joint of the foot.

3. A full-fashioned ringless stocking having the body yarns, defined byselvage the several body yarns,

selvage-edged, leg and instep portions wherein fabric courses knit froma plurality of body yarns of the same nominal gauge succeed each otherin a predetermined sequential order; selvageedged heel, toe and soleportions knit from yarn gauge; and special wear-resistant areaslongitudinally of opposite sides of its foot intermediate the instep andloops of the aforesaid heavy yarn are doubled with the loops of the bodyyarns, and whereof the upper edges are defined by selvage loops of theheavy yarn and the lower edges by skip selvage loops of the several bodyyarns, said areas being relatively narrow for most of their lengths butwider adjacent the toe for protection of the stocking at the region ofthe large joint,

of the foot.

4. A full-fashioned ringless' stocking having selvage-edged leg andinstep portions wherein fabric courses knit from a plurality of bodyyarns of the same nominal gauge succeed each other in a predeterminedsequential order; selvageed'ged heel, toe and sole portions knit fromyarn areas-longitudinally of opposite sides of its foot intermediate theinstep and the sole, wherein loops of the aforesaid heavy with the loopsof the body yarns, and whereof the upper edges are defined by'selvageloops of the heavy yarn and the lower edges by skip selvage loops of theseveral body yarns, said areas being relatively narrow andparallel-edged for most of their lengths, and widening toward the toefor protection of the stocking in the region of the large toe joint ofthe foot.

' 5. A full-fashioned ringless stocking having selvage-edged leg andinstep portions wherein considerable instep and toe,

of the heavier yarn,

from yarn .for a time,

the sole, wherein.

and special wear resistant yarn are doubled fabric courses knit from aplurality of body yarns of the same nominal gauge succeed each other ina predetermined sequential order; heel and sole portions knit from yarnof heavier gauge; a toe portion wherein loops of the body yarns aredoubled with loops of the heavy yarn; and special wear-resistant areaslongitudinally of opposite sides of the foot intermediate the instep andthe sole and connecting the heel and the toe, wherein loops of bodyyarns are also doubled with the loops said areas being comparativelynarrow and parallel-edged'through most of their length but wideningtoward the toe for protection of thestocking in the region of the largetoe joint of the foot, and moreover continuous with a double thicknessarea at the back of the heel likewise knit with the body and heavyyarns. v

6. A full-fashioned stocking having a narrowed advance toe adjacent itsthe proper, and wearresistant areas between its instep and soleportions, said areas flaring in the advance toe toward the toe properfor protection of the stocking in the region of the large toe joint ofthe foot, and enclosing sutures resulting from the narrowing,

along opposite-sides of its foot 7. A full-fashioned stocking having anarrowed advance toe adjacent its toe proper, and wear,- resistant areasalong opposite sides of its foot between its instep and sole portions,said areas flaring in the advance for protection of thestocking in theregion of the large toe joint of the foot, and enclosing suturesresulting from the narrowing, in continuation with the lower suturelines of the diamond points of the stocking toe. g

' 8. The method of producing the central foot portion of a stocking,which comprises knitting the instep from a relatively light gauge. bodyyarn; knitting the sole from heavier yarn; and concurrently formingdouble thickness wear-resista-nt areas intermediate the instep and soleby interknitting the heavier yarn with the body yarn, maintaining theextentof overlap-uniform and thereafter gradually increasing the overlapbetween the light and heavy yarns toward the toe end of the blank.

9. The method of producing the central foot portion of a flat fullfashioned stocking blank, which comprises knitting the instep fromrelatively light body yarn; knitting sole portions along opposite sidesof the instep from heavier yarns; and concurrently. forming doublethickness wear-resistant areas'intermediate the im step and the sole byinterknitting the heavier yarns with the body yarn, maintaining theextent of overlap uniform and thereafter gradually increasing theoverlap of the light and heavy yarns toward the toe end.

of the blank. I

10. The method of producing the central foot portion of a full fashionedringless stocking blank, which comprises knitting the instep from, aseries of body yarns of the same nominal gauge so that the loop coursesof said yarns succeed each other in a definite predetermined sequence;knitting soleportions along opposite sides of the instep from heavieryarns; and concurrently forming double thickness wear-resistant areasintermediate the instep and sole by interknitting the heavier yarnswiththe body yarns, maintaining the extent of overlap uniform for a timeand afterwards gradually increasing the overlap of Ellie light andheavyyarns toward the toe of the toe toward the toe properfor a time in eachinstance,

11. The method of producing the central .foot which comprises knittingthe instep from a series p n of a ful fashioned Stocking a W h of bodyyarns of the same nominal gauge so that p s s knitting the instep t0unifm'm Width the loop courses of said yarns succeed each other from. aF bofiy yam? hinting sole porticfns ina. definite predeterminedsequence; knitting sole 5 along slqles of the mstep from heavlerportions along opposite sides of the instep from yarns; and formingdouble thickness wearre-= heavier yams; forming double thickness Weargfiggf gg gifig gggiigfi zg g fgg 53 resistant areas intermediate theinstep and sole the body yam maintaining the extent of Web portions byinterknitting the heavier yarns with 10 lap uniform for a time, andafterwards gradually 12. The method of producing the central foot tions.r' 15 portion of a. full fashioned ringless stocking blank, Em J.BERGER. 3

